Some might believe me crazy for starting off (or even saying this) with this, but family comedy is a tough film genre. If you think about it there are not many that fall into the “great” category here. Let the debate begin! What I am sure of is that this latest incarnation of Woody Woodpecker won’t be considered a great family comedy.
That is not to say, however, that this was a total flop. There are some things to enjoy and appreciate about it. First off, is that it is a blend of live action and animation. That is well done. After a while I began to even forget that Woody was animated.
It is not even really the story which fouls things up as it is simple and typical of the genre. What messes things up is the fact that what has been set up to make you laugh falls flat for the most part and the acting by the humans is rather lacklustre.
Urged on by his ego and fiance Vanessa (played by Taila Ayala), wealthy lawyer Lance Walters (played by Timothy Omundson) decides to use some remote land he owns to build a huge mansion plotting to flip it quickly for a big profit. The first spoke in his dastardly wheel is when his ex-wife insists he take his son Tommy (played by Graham Verchere) during the time the construction would be happening. The second is that where he is building is adjacent to the nest of rascally Woody Woodpecker (voiced by Eric Bauza), who is totally against this disruption of his idyllic existence. Tommy will be easy to deal with whereas the crazy laughing bird will be a complete other story.
Special Features:
-Guess Who? The Evolution of Woody
-The Making of Woody Woodpecker
-Working with Woody
-Digital Copy
